Fangirl Moments And My Two Cents @fgmamtc

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Blurb

Hugo Burrows has life under control.

He's got a decent job, a long-term relationship and a flat in Canary Wharf.

It's all under control. It's just becoming a little problematic trying to hold everything together. Keeping the bruises on his skin hidden away. A smile plastered on his face. Controlling the calories he allows his body to consume. And now his boss is on his back with too many questions, and the grumpy French head chef keeps staring at him like he's a freak or something.

Everything is under control. It has to be.

Ben Desjardins may be the Head Chef at the Clouds Hotel but he definitely hasn't got anything under control. His relationship with his best friend is crumbling and simply turning up for work seems to automatically cause never ending chaotic disasters. Yet there is something about the new concierge that has crawled straight under his prickly skin.

Ben doesn't need more complications in his life. The last thing he needs is to inconveniently, and reluctantly... fall in love.

SKIN AND BONES is best enjoyed if read after TASTE.

Reader Advisory. This book contains the following topics: Eating disorders, OCD, domestic violence and sexual assault. Please look after yourself and take care if these topics could upset you.

Excerpt

So, the new concierge, his name was Hugo, and he was tall and skinny—far too skinny if you asked me—with a head full of bouncy blonde curls, thick, dark eyebrows over deep-set eyes, sharp cheekbones and plump, puffy lips. He seemed like a nice bloke, stood up for himself. Finn moaned about him, saying something about the guy being great at his job but an untidy bugger. The floor around his desk was always a disaster zone of scrunched-up pieces of paper and torn-up leaflets. Finn wasn’t wrong. I could see stuff on the floor from where I was, while Hugo gave directions to some guests, arms flailing, his phone miraculously still pinched between his cheek and his shoulder. He smiled at something. I smiled too. He had that kind of smile.

Dropping my cigarette on the ground, I squashed out the embers with my shoe. So sue me. I was French. Had grown up there, then moved to England with my mum in my teens and had to adapt to being Ben instead of Benjamin after my arsehole dad kicked us out. I didn’t take shit from anyone.

It hadn’t been bad. Just…my life hadn’t become quite what I’d expected.

I strode back through the lobby with confidence, smiling politely at our maître d’hôtel, who pursed their lips at me. Yeah, I was a dick. I had tomato juice down my front, and my apron was covered in cooking fat. I looked a state and shouldn’t be anywhere near paying guests. I knew it. Mabel knew it. I actually liked them. A lot. Today, our super-efficient restaurant leader rocked a shocking-pink dress and sky-high heels with a face full of make-up. Some days, they presented as a stunning bloke, other days, like today, they wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of a women’s fashion magazine, and they knew it too.

“Looking good, Mabs.”

“Oh shut it, Ben.” They grinned and blushed while giving me a full head-to-toe inspection. “You really need to go change, babes. Honestly, you’ll give Mark a heart attack.”

“You mean I look that good?” I laughed, enjoying another of Mabel’s many smirks.

“You look like shit, babes. How are you ever going to get laid when you walk around looking like someone has dragged you face down through the walk-in fridge?”

“Bah,” I huffed and left them to it. I washed my hands and ripped off my apron, dropping it in the laundry chute and grabbing a fresh one from the shelf before glancing over the line. All under control. Nobody panicking.

“Watch the liquid,” I commented to one of the trainees as they flipped a tray of mushrooms into a serving dish and splattered juice all over the hot plate. Yeah. Newbies. They had to learn, usually the hard way, and there wasn’t much I could do other than show them how to do it the right way, remind them to watch the bloody timings, let them make mistakes and hope they didn’t kill themselves in the process.

I looked down at my own battered hands. I had too many scars to count. Cuts, burns. My hands had survived years of being battered on the rugby pitch, which was nothing compared to getting fingers stuck in blenders and close encounters with sharp knives.

I blamed my mum, getting me into cooking when my hand-eye coordination had been blasted to hell. I had to concentrate, not be stressed, keep focused for my mind to function the way it was supposed to, not that it ever did, and this was a working kitchen. My entire shift was always one huge, stress-induced, disaster-prone trial.

“You all right?” Mark appeared next to me in his immaculate suit, his hair up in a tidy man-bun and eyebrows tightly knitted. Arms crossed, he surveyed our little world. Him and me, we were brothers, partners in crime, a duo of idiots who should have known better, but we worked well together, and there was nowhere else I would rather work than here with him by my side.

“All good,” I said, mirroring his pose.

“The boys out there,” he said conspiratorially. “They’re placing bets on who can get a hook-up with Hugo. There’s good money involved.”

“Hell.” I sighed, rolled my eyes harder than Mabel. “He gay then?”

“I went over and asked him. He just laughed, so yeah. Between you and me, he lives with his long-term boyfriend down in Canary Wharf, so I think all the boys are barking up a dead tree, but I’m not going to tell them. Are you?”

“Nah.” I laughed. I wasn’t. As long as they did their job and made my food look good, I wasn’t getting involved with anything. And anyway, this Hugo? None of my business.

Rolling up my sleeves, I plonked my arse down by my little office set-up and logged into the laptop. I had orders to sign off, menus to plan, things to do. A life to live. Mark shook his head and disappeared back out to the restaurant.

This Hugo? God help him.

About the Author

Sophia Soames should be old enough to know better but has barely grown up. She has been known to fangirl over TV shows, has fallen in and out of love with more popstars than she dares to remember, and has a ridiculously high-flying (un-)glamourous real-life job.

Her long-suffering husband just laughs at her antics. Their children are feral. The dogs are too.

She lives in a creaky old house in rural London, although her heart is still in her native Scandinavia.

Discovering that the stories in her head make sense when written down has been part of the most hilarious midlife crisis ever, and she hopes it may long continue.

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Ugly Beautiful People by CJ Bedell Blog Tour

2023-12-05T01:00:00.001-06:00

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Ugly Beautiful People

Author: CJ Bedell

Publisher: Next Chapter Publishing

Cover Artist: Lordan June Pinote

Release Date: August 31, 2023

Genres: Adult LGBTQ Thriller (3 out of 5 point of view characters are bisexual)

Themes: Coming out, Self-acceptance, finding yourself, death, grief, loss

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 59 000 words/249 pages

The book stands alone, but it is intended to be the first book in a trilogy.

It ends on a small cliffhanger. Most of the plot points that happen in Book 1 are wrapped up, though.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | B & N | Kobo

Welcome to Crescent Hills where beauty only runs so deep. Scandal lurks just below the surface behind the McMansions, designer clothes, and fancy cars. And a death will bring the lies, secrets, and betrayals to a boil.

Blurb

Welcome to Crescent Hills, where beauty only runs so deep. Scandal lurks below the surface behind the McMansions, designer clothes, and fancy cars. When the town is shaken by the disappearance of journalist Ivy Fields, whispers of betrayal and intrigue begin to unravel the threads binding its elite residents.

Audrey, haunted by her own past, is determined to unveil the truth behind Ivy's disappearance, hoping to find closure she never received. Amidst this, Marcia grapples with the confines of her seemingly perfect marriage, leading her down a dangerous path. At the same time, a young Ben navigates the complexities of love, friendship, and societal expectations. Meanwhile, Cassandra's life gets disrupted by a ghost from her past.

As Crescent Hills residents confront their own dilemmas, the shadow of Ivy's disappearance looms large. For behind every beautiful façade, there are secrets yearning to be exposed, and as they say, the past always finds a way to catch up.

Excerpt

Birds screeched when Audrey opened her eyes. She yawned, then stretched. Her back hairs stuck up. Audrey might’ve been lying on the seating of the pontoon boat, but black no longer veiled the sky. Instead, sunlight beamed from the cloudless sky.

Audrey scanned the boat. Ivy was gone.

Dread filled Audrey’s insides—she couldn’t think of one logical explanation as to why Ivy would no longer be on the boat. Audrey did the only thing she could and leaned up against the edge of the boat and peered into the water. No sign of Ivy.

Something vibrated from her jean’s right pocket and she whipped out her iPhone. Sawyer was calling her. “Hello?” Audrey asked.

“I wanted to see how you were doing this morning.” Sawyer chuckled. “And don’t worry. I’m not mad you decided to have a fun night with Ivy. Just glad Ivy texted me about you staying over at her place. Most people wouldn’t be so courteous.”

“I’m still on the boat,” Audrey blurted. “And Ivy is nowhere to be found.”

“Come again?”
“We never went back to shore and had dinner.”
“How much did you drink last night?”
“Just one gin and tonic.”

A folded piece of paper on the driver’s seat of the boat caught Audrey’s attention, and she rushed over to it. “I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go,” she said. “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

Audrey pressed END before shoving her iPhone back into her pocket. Then, she unfolded the note and read it.

Dear Audrey,
I’m so sorry to have to tell you this, but I’ve been very unhappy

with my life for a long time, and I’ve decided to end my life.

I know my suicide will probably come as a shock to you. However,

please always think of me fondly.

Love,

Ivy

Audrey crumbled the note and it fell onto the floor of the boat. After that, she screamed. Tragedies were supposed to be something that she watched on the news, not witnessed first- hand. But no explanation was necessary about how cruel life was and the universe often had a twisted sense of humor.

Tears welled in Audrey’s eyes. Nothing could’ve prepared her for this moment, because she wanted to cry. And cry. And cry. Ivy couldn’t be dead; she was only thirty-seven. So, she still had a little more than half her life left.

Ivy was in trouble and Audrey hadn’t seen the signs. So,

Audrey’d never forgive herself for Ivy’s suicide. Audrey had failed Ivy, and she couldn’t fathom how she’d continue with life.

Audrey’s throat tightened. Perhaps Ivy’s death was only meant to resemble a suicide and was really murder. There was a reason people always touted the saying about life being stranger than fiction. Audrey shook her head. Yeah, that had to have been it. Ivy couldn’t have been desperate enough to commit suicide.

The only thing Audrey was certain of was that Ivy was nowhere to be found. And that was why she’d get to the bottom of Ivy’s death. Whether someone murdered Ivy or Ivy actually committed suicide, there had to be more to the story.

About the Author

Chris Bedell is the author of over a dozen novels. He also graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2016.

Author Links

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Hachi + Araine : The Dream Series by Michael G. Hurston Series Tour

2023-11-21T01:00:00.001-06:00

Hachi + Araine: The Dream Series by Michael G. Hurston

After waking up from a thousand-year cryosleep to a world they no longer recognize, Hachi and her golem Araine embark on a perilous journey with human scavenger Sara to find others like themselves, navigating a world of romance, tragedy, and self-discovery along the way.

The stories need to be read in order.

Series Links

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Book Title: Hachi + Araine // Awake: The Dream Series Book 1

Length: 45 000 Words

Release Date: October 20, 2023

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Romance

Tropes: Polyamorous and Pansexual relationships

Themes: Strong Female Protagonist, Self-discovery

Heat Rating: 3.5-4 flames

It is not a standalone story and this book ends on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

Hachi is an unstoppable Tau-born juggernaut on the battlefield with her golem Araine. The two wake up in a cryopod after a thousand-year sleep to find the world she knew is gone, and the others who came with her are nowhere to be found. Determined to find others like themselves, Hachi and Araine embark on their search, encountering a human scavenger named Sara, and a treasure hunt through space ensues.

While Hachi is confident in her abilities as a warrior, she is insecure and unsure of herself in social interactions. She is forced to deal with not only the loss of her own kind, but with people she doesn’t know, and more than she could have expected. Throughout their adventure, Hachi must confront her vulnerabilities, even as she battles against seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

With the help of Araine and Sara, Hachi must not only find others like herself but also discover the truth about the new world she finds herself in, regardless of what tragedies occurred and what may yet still befall them.

BOOK 2

Book Title: Hachi + Araine // Nightmares: The Dream Series Book 2

Length: 45 000 Words

Release Date: October 20, 2023

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Romance

Tropes: Polyamorous and Pansexual relationships

Themes: Strong Female Protagonist, Self-discovery

Heat Rating: 2-3 flames

It is not a standalone story and this book ends on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

Taking place immediately after the events of book 1, Hachi and Araine have now recovered their memories as well as been granted a boon from the Founders. Together the pair are tasked with locating the remaining unopened Tau-born vaults hidden somewhere across the Sol System.

Determined to complete her mission and return to the man she’s known all her life. Araine and Hachi set out on a quest that takes them through the universe and back, but for every action, there is a reaction, and they’ll need to face the consequences of every decision they’ve made.

Meanwhile Lamant and Mira work tirelessly to attempt to restore the woman Hachi loved back to life, though things take a darker turn when an unknown ship appears suddenly on the outskirts of our galaxy.

BOOK 3

Book Title: Hachi + Araine // Falling: The Dream Series Book 3

Length: Approximately 45 000 Words

Release Date: October 20, 2023

Genres: Science Fiction, Space Opera, Romance

Tropes: Polyamorous and Pansexual relationships

Themes: Strong Female Protagonist, Self-discovery

Heat Rating: 2-3 flames

It is not a standalone story.

It does not end on a cliffhanger, but leaves some aspects open.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blog/Website | Amazon Author Page

Blurb

One year after the events of book 2, Hachi is trying her best to help lead the new world she created, even as her relationship with Araine is strained. A new series of challenges, both emotional and physical awaits her.

A celebration gone awry, a mission to the belts to rout out the last remnants of the old regime, and ongoing struggles with relationships are now just par for the course for Hachi and Araine. Along with the help of Gemini, Scarlet, Darius, and KAD their goal is to bring safety and a lasting peace to the people of Sol.

But the clock is ticking as Amrita has warned her. Will any of Hachi’s actions matter once they face off against entities known only as the First Children. Unfamiliar beings from Draco that rival the abilities of the Founders and want nothing more than to consume all life within Sol.

About the Author

I’ve worked in MarTech/WebOps for the last twenty years. Most of my daily writing is spent on Business Requirement Documents, Project Plans, and Engineering Tickets.

I started creative writing in my spare time. I enjoy writing fantasy and science fiction as well as d20 campaigns.

Everything I make from writing goes to helping provide a better life for my cat.

Author Links

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Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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The Game by Beth Bolden Release Blitz

2023-08-15T01:00:00.003-05:00

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: The Game (Charleston Condors Book 2)

Author and Publisher: Beth Bolden

Cover Artist: The Book Brander Boutique

Release Date: August 9, 2023

Genre: Contemporary MM sports romance

Tropes: friends to lovers, unrequited long-time crush, Vegas wedding

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 100 000 words

It is book number two in a spinoff series.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

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Micah Rose arrives in Charleston, ready to finally get his man and The Game is on.

Blurb

Micah Rose is ready for a clean slate. He might’ve messed up his rookie year with the Miami Piranhas, but being traded to the Condors is the best way to put all that behind him.

The Condors are rebuilding, too. New owner. New coach. New players. New rules.

But one rule hasn’t changed: don’t marry your ex-best friend in Vegas.

Beckett West isn't looking forward to seeing Micah again. Back in college, they shared not only a ride-or-die friendship, but a ton of unresolved sexual tension.

That was before Micah pushed him away.

Still, Beck’s never forgotten their last drunken night together. Not only did they finally confess their feelings, they both promised if the day ever came when they played on the same team again, they wouldn't waste the chance to be together.

But Beck didn’t expect that day to ever be this day.

He certainly didn’t expect to wake up in bed with Micah’s ring on his finger.

Or that he’d never want to take it off.

But it turns out the only man for him is the one man he could never forget. The one man he’s always wanted to make his.

Excerpt

“There you go.” Scott sounded smug. “So you’re gonna let yourself have this. You’ve made amends. You’ve apologized to Beck. You’re gonna be his friend.”

“Yeah.”

What if I want to be more than just his friend?

But Micah didn’t say it. He probably didn’t need to, the way Scott kept hinting that there might be something more between them.

“Listen, you’re a good friend, so just be that guy I know who’s under those ridiculous suits, and you’re gonna be just fine.”

“My suits aren’t ridiculous.”

They were extra not ridiculous, especially after he’d worn his new camel plaid suit the other day, on the way to Toronto, and he’d been far too aware of Beck’s eyes skimming over him when they’d been boarding the plane.

He looked good, he knew he looked good, and it had felt satisfying that Beck had been forced to acknowledge just how good.

Especially when he was still so caught on how Beck looked.

“Son, they’re ridiculous, but it’s alright. It’s your thing. I’m just glad you’re expressing yourself now.”

Scott didn’t have to say it bluntly because Micah already knew what he really meant: you’re not too afraid to express yourself anymore.

“Thanks.”

“So you’re gonna fix things, huh?” Scott continued.

“I apologized, yeah. And he said he wanted to be friends again.”

“What’re you gonna do about that?”

“Geez, Dad, ask an easier question,” Micah retorted.

Scott laughed. “And here Asa thinks our only kid is Beau.”

“You’ve got an entire team of kids,” Micah pointed out.

“Plus one more.” Scott’s voice was warm.

And while Micah had known he wouldn’t lose Scott’s friendship—or Asa’s respect—when he left Miami, it felt good to hear it, too.

Clearing his throat, Micah tried to change the subject. “What do you mean, what am I gonna do about it? We’re friends.”

“Friends spend time with each other, Micah. You gonna invite him over? Meet him out for a drink? How about what you’re gonna tell him? He’s going to want to know why you left Miami.”

“I don’t know. Some of those, I guess.” Micah could admit he hadn’t thought that far. He’d been pretty stuck on just getting the apology out—and hoping Beck listened to it.

“You should tell him.” Scott’s voice was knowing.

“About what happened with Sebastian? Hell no.”

He knew how he’d feel if Beck told him about some guy he’d been attracted to. Because it had happened more than once, and Micah had hated it every single time, even though he’d refused to do anything about it.

“You can’t just talk to me, no matter how much it warms my heart to know you don’t think I’m some old, washed-up, uncool dude,” Scott teased.

“Fine, fine, I’ll talk to him about some of it.” Not about Sebastian, and why we didn’t get along. That’s way too far.

“Invite him over for a beer,” Scott suggested, “and then when he’s there, get close on the couch—”

“Enough!” Micah yelped. He stood and started pacing. How had being just friends with Beck been so easy before and now felt impossible? “You’re supposed to be helping me be his friend.”

“Come on, Rose, we both know that’s not what you really want.”

“It’s all I’m gonna get.”

“It’s all you’re gonna get if you don’t make it clear you’re crazy about him.”

“Maybe I’m not.” He knew how stubborn he sounded.

Scott scoffed. “Don’t lie to me. Especially not when it’s so freaking obvious. You’re absolutely head over heels for that guy. Don’t do either of you the disservice of pretending otherwise.”

“He probably doesn’t—”

But Micah didn’t get the rest of it out.

“You’re never gonna know if you don’t say anything. But, that said,” Scott said with a chuckle, “maybe try to be friends for a little while first. Get used to each other again.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“You keep calling me that like I’m gonna hate it, and so far, not so much,” Scott teased.

About the Author

A lifelong Pacific Northwester, Beth Bolden has just recently moved to North Carolina with her supportive husband. Beth still believes in Keeping Portland Weird, and intends to be just as weird in Raleigh.

Beth has been writing practically since she learned the alphabet. Unfortunately, her first foray into novel writing, titled Big Bear with Sparkly Earrings, wasn’t a bestseller, but hope springs eternal. She has published over forty novels and novellas.

Author Links

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Dionysus in Wisconsin by E. H. Lupton Book Blast

2023-08-15T01:00:00.001-05:00

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Dionysus in Wisconsin (Wisconsin Gothic, Book 1)

Author: E. H. Lupton

Publisher: Winnowing Fan Press

Cover Artist: E. H. Lupton

Release Date: May 26, 2023

Genres: Urban fantasy/historical M/M romance

Tropes: Living Aphrodisiac, Turning into a God, Offing the Offspring, In Love with the Mark, Occult Detective, Don't Go in the Woods, Prophesies Rhyme, Killing the God, A+ Parenting, Metamorphoses

Themes: self-acceptance, overcoming family history, mystical library communion

Heat Rating: 3–3.5 flames

Length: 78 000 words/ 350 pages in paperback

The story ends with a lovely HEA.

Book 2 is due in early 2024.

Buy Links

Bookshop.org | Kobo Plus

Blurb

A graduate student and an archivist work together to fight a god.

Fall, 1969. Ulysses Lenkov should be working on his dissertation. Instead, he's developing an unlucrative sideline in helping ghosts and hapless magic users. But when his clients start leaving town suddenly—or turning up dead—he starts to worry there's something afoot that’s worse than an unavenged death or incipient insanity. His investigation begins with the last word on everyone's lips before they vanish: the mysterious Dionysus.

Sam Sterling is an archivist who recently moved back to Madison to be closer to the family he's not too sure he likes. But his peaceful days of teaching library students, creating finding aids, and community theater come to an end when the magnetic, mistrustful Ulysses turns up with a warning. There's a god coming, and it looks like it's coming for Sam.

Soon the two are helping each other through demon attacks, discovering the unsavory history of Sam's family, and falling in love as they race to find a solution. But as the year draws to a close, they'll face a deadly showdown as they try to save Sam—and the city itself.

Excerpt

“What did you want with it, anyway? There’s nothing of value in there. Just books. I would have let you look at any of them if you’d asked.”

Ulysses took a deliberate step closer, and Sam found himself retreating until he fetched up against the metal of the door. “Would you have, though? If I’d come to you and said I needed to investigate why the spirit of the stacks seems interested in you?” Ulysses took another step forward. They were standing far closer than people generally did, and it was both thrilling and terrifying. “Because a lot of people might find a request like that peculiar.”

Sam’s mouth went dry. They were practically chest to chest now. “I—Yes!” he said, and tried to pull himself up to his full height. “I don’t know what any of that means.”

Ulysses nodded. “Then this is going to be weird for you,” he muttered, voice rough and practically in Sam’s ear, and grabbed him. He opened the lock and pushed Sam through the door before he could protest.

On his desk were a white candle and a small, heart-shaped piece of blond wood that held a pencil in a vertical position. Beneath it was a sheet of typing paper, blank except for a cursive letter D in the center of the page. “What’s all this?”

“The inconclusive results of last night’s experiments,” Ulysses said. He grappled with the chair for a moment and then shoved it out into the corridor, shutting the cage’s door between it and them. There was just barely enough room for both of them standing up. This was going to be hideously embarrassing if anyone came along and caught them.

Ulysses, heedless, was lighting the candle with a Zippo. “The building seemed to have something to say to you in the elevator. Maybe it just needs more time to build up to a real psychic discharge, but we can’t wait that long.” He grinned again, eyes wide. “So I thought I’d bring it what it wants, and see if that helps.”

“You—what exactly do you do, Mr. Lenkov?”

“I’m a human lightning rod.” He reached up and grasped Sam very gently by the chin, turning his face to the candle. “Look. Be silent and breathe. Think about the flame.”

The other man’s taut body was pressed right up against Sam’s back, his left arm wrapped around Sam’s waist, and the candle flame was definitely not where Sam’s thoughts were heading. His face still tingled where he’d been touched. “Lenkov,” he said uneasily, “Ulysses. Are you okay? Are you—”

“No drugs, if that’s what you’re trying so delicately to ask. I never touch the stuff. Now hush.”

For some reason he wasn’t entirely clear on, Sam hushed. The man’s tone of voice seemed to demand compliance. At first all he could feel was the rush of blood through his veins, most of it headed southward. But after a while, his head started to clear. He could feel Ulysses breathing behind him and the movement of air through the study cages, smell the paper and Ulysses’s piney cologne and the slightly acrid candle. It wasn’t that his body stopped responding with arousal, but rather that for what felt like a few increasingly long moments he was conscious of all of it, and the linoleum beneath his feet, the rush of water through the pipes of the building. The loud clicks as the motion sensors turned the lights out, one row at a time. Still they stood in their tiny puddle of candle light.

Then, suddenly, the temperature dropped. Sam opened his eyes wide, afraid to say anything lest he break the spell, but also more generally terrified. He twisted slightly, but Ulysses’s grip was unforgiving. The other man leaned forward, murmuring something almost inaudible in a calming tone, and Sam gave up. Whatever was going to happen, he’d have a front-row seat for it. His breath hissed out, steaming.

Ulysses reached out and grabbed Sam’s right hand with his. “Using your left hand,” he whispered, “touch the planchette. Whenever you’re ready.”

Sam wanted to ask how he’d know when he was ready, but as their skin connected he felt a tension building in the room. It reminded him, abruptly, of the churning green clouds before a thunderstorm. The tension was in him, too, somehow, like anxiety but not quite, a nauseating squirming thing hiding there behind his breastbone. He closed his eyes and let it build for another minute, until it reached a level he couldn’t stand anymore.

He touched the planchette and felt it jerk to life as something ran through Ulysses and through him and somehow grounded itself in the paper. It was a little like the peculiar relief offered by a sneeze or an orgasm or taking off a pair of painful shoes, and a little like a static shock turned up to eleven. He might have shouted.

A moment later, Ulysses reached around him and pinched out the candle flame. Sam leaned dumbly against the wall, trying to catch his breath, and Ulysses turned on the overhead light, swung the door open, and carefully pushed Sam down into the chair.

“Sorry about that,” Ulysses said, sounding entirely unaffected. He picked up the page from beneath the planchette and frowned at it. Sam looked at the little stylus, which gave a desultory wriggle and was still.

About the Author

E.H. Lupton (she/they) lives in Madison, WI with her family. She is the author of the novella The Joy of Fishes (Battered Suitcase Press, 2013/2015). Her poems have been published in a number of journals, including Paranoid Tree, Poet Lore, 300 Days of Sun, and House of Zolo's Journal of Speculative Literature. She is also one half of the duo behind the hit podcast Ask a Medievalist. In her free time, she enjoys running long distances and art.

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The Firefly by Laury A. Egan Blog Tour

2023-08-12T01:00:00.001-05:00

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: The Firefly

Author: Laury A. Egan

Publisher: Spectrum Books

Cover Artist: Design by Laury A. Egan with assistance by Andrew May and Vicki DeVico

Release Date: August 12, 2023

Genres: F/F Romance and portrait of a teenager, age 14, through adulthood, age 40.

Tropes: teenage lovers separated

Themes: Solitariness of a creative girl/woman, sexual orientation confusion in the 60s, pressure to conform to social expectations

Heat rating: 3 flames

Length: 74 000 words/ 304 pages

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

A Romance by a Lake; a Life Searching for a Teenage Lover

Blurb

1964: A dark summer night on a still black lake. A lantern is lit at the end of a dock. A blond girl in white appears and begins to dance, her body illuminated like the fireflies surrounding her. A second girl emerges from a house and is beckoned forward. The two meet, swim, and then kiss. Thus begins an ethereal romance and a young woman’s journey into adulthood.

Robin Bennet, age fourteen, has been accidentally abandoned at a lakeside rental house in the Pocono Mountains. Her parents were arguing, and each believed the other had remained with Robin. Alone, Robin discovers that someone has been sleeping in the house and is now stealing vodka and snacks. A fifteen-year-old boy, Kieran, the intruder, appears and invites himself to dinner. Robin is charmed by him, especially when she learns he is the brother of the beautiful girl who magically appeared on the dock the night before. After Kieran leaves, the “Firefly” returns, lights the lantern, and circles around it until Robin joins her. The two swim and make love on the beach. When Robin awakens, the Firefly—Stella—has disappeared, and Robin’s mother arrives, announcing they will return to New Jersey immediately because she is divorcing Robin’s father. Frantic, Robin tries to find Stella, a search that continues while Robin builds a career as an architect in Manhattan, fails in marriage, and struggles with her sexual identity.

Excerpt

[Robin’s parents have left her alone in a rented lake house, each thinking the other would remain. The year is 1964, Robin is 14, and has just drunk some wine.] “Robin shuddered awake. She shook her head, which felt on the verge of aching, and lifted her gaze toward the lake. To her amazement, the lantern was lit on the dock. Standing by it was the Firefly, dressed in white, her blond hair bright against the darkness of the water and the forested hill beyond.

Robin rubbed her eyes. She must be having drunken hallucinations, but when she looked again, the beautiful vision remained. Excitement shot through her, and she lurched to her feet, descended the stairs with the bottle of wine, and walked down the grassy hill to the path, afraid to blink and lose sight of the enchanting image that lay before her. As she stepped onto the dock, the Firefly circled the lantern and offered her hands in invitation, her long fingers sweeping through the air with elegant fluidity. It appeared the girl was smiling, but perhaps this was what Robin hoped.

She made her way carefully. Some of the boards were uneven, and she didn’t trust her steadiness after drinking so much. Her ears also seemed filled with a pulsing sound, or was that the loud beating of her heart? Nearing the girl, Robin knew the figure was Stella because of the strong resemblance to Kieran—the same yellow hair, slender build, neat features, and gracefulness. But Stella was more magnetic, more enchanting. Instantly, the dinner with Kieran was forgotten. This moment was all present, all now.

Dazed, Robin stopped and stared at this beautiful apparition, one she struggled to believe was real. Almost afraid of breaking the silence with words, she whispered, “Hello.”

“Hello,” the girl replied.

“Stella?”

“Yes. Robin?”

“Yes.”

The water lapped against the dock pilings, and a bird called from a distant tree. Above, the dark sky shrouded them in an illuminated enclosure.

They smiled at each other.

Robin inched closer, reveling in the sensuous figure before her. Stella had blue eyes. Perhaps a paler shade than Kieran’s or maybe the lantern’s glittering reflections were creating the appearance of translucence. Her skin was unblemished, smooth, and creamy. The fragrance of Jean Naté floated in the air.

“I hoped you’d return,” Robin said.

“I’m glad. I waited until Kieran left.” Her expression was amused, flirtatious.

Robin sighed. “I don’t think the dinner went well. I mean, the meal was fine, but Kieran is hard to understand.”

Stella laughed. “He’s perfected the fine art of being secretive.”

“And you? Are you the same?”

“Yes, I suppose so. You’ll have to find out.”

This sounded like a teasing challenge. “I will,” she answered in kind. “Would you like some wine?”

Stella accepted the bottle, drank, and wiped her mouth. Her lips were perfectly cut, pink, and alluring.

“Thank you.” She handed the wine back to Robin, who took a swallow. “Good. Now, it’s a warm night, Robin. We should swim, don’t you think?”

Without waiting for a response, Stella began undressing. Underneath her blouse, against her tanned skin, a lacy white bra was revealed. Robin noticed that Stella’s breasts appeared to be larger than hers, but Stella was two years older.

When Stella leaned down to unbuckle her sandals, Robin unbuttoned her own shirt, overcome with shyness. Although she showered with girls after gym class, Robin had never exposed herself like this. She fixed her eyes on Stella, who had dropped her pants and stepped clear. The girl was slightly taller than Robin, with legs and arms that were lean and strong. Clad only in cotton underpants and a bra, Stella gave her a captivating smile, turned, and dove neatly off the dock. For what seemed like a minute, she stayed underwater until she resurfaced about fifteen feet away. Stella brushed back her short hair and watched as Robin took off her slacks and sandals and executed a clean entrance into the black water. Rising near Stella, the two swam closer to each other and kept upright by paddling their arms.

Robin felt a wave of dizziness pass over her. Because of the wine or because of the nearness to this radiant being? She waited for the girl to speak, to act. Instead, Stella laughed, the sound reminding Robin of wind chimes blowing in a light breeze.”

About the Author

Laury A. Egan is the author of eleven novels: The Firefly; Once, Upon an Island; Doublecrossed; The Swimmer; Fabulous! An Opera Buffa; The Outcast Oracle; Turnabout; Wave in D Minor; The Ungodly Hour; A Bittersweet Tale; The Outcast Oracle; and Jenny Kidd as well as a collection, Fog and Other Stories. Four limited-edition poetry volumes have been published: Snow, Shadows, a Stranger; Beneath the Lion’s Paw; The Sea & Beyond; and Presence & Absence. Eighty-five of her stories and poems have appeared in literary journals. She lives on the northern coast of New Jersey.

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Reflections on the Boulevard by LJ Ambrosio Book Blast

2023-06-27T00:00:00.002-05:00

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Reflections on the Boulevard (Reflections of Michael Trilogy, Book 2)

Author: LJ Ambrosio

Publisher: Film Valor

Cover Artist: hammxd

Release Date: June 7, 2023

Genre: Fictional Buddy Adventure

Tropes: Buddy Adventure

Themes: Coming-of-age, growth

Heat Rating: 0 flames

Length: 51 000 words/ 200 pages

It’s the middle-book in the trilogy with some parts of life ending and others beginning for the third part.

Buy Links

The continuation of A Reservoir Man

Blurb

Michael's story continues from A Reservoir Man (2022) where we find him teaching at a university ready to retire. He unexpectedly meets a young man named Ron who becomes his protege and journeys in a haphazard adventure with him throughout America and Europe, each twist and turn of the road bringing unexpected adventures. The journey taken is one of joy, friendship and discovery.

Excerpt

They begin to move closer to Ron, a street light illuminating one of them for a moment; everything else was in darkness. He realized these were some of the kids from the shelter he used to be in. They had a fire in them, maybe it was jealousy that he got out and got on his feet. How did they know that much about Michael? He knew that they could hurt Michael, at his age that could kill him. They could hurt Carol, badly. They might have a knife. He knew how much danger they were in now.

Ron made a move towards the one he recognized, when suddenly all five pounced on Ron, beating on him, taking no break in their punches. One of them picked up Rhonda and threw her against a brick wall. Ron spit blood and, in between blows, tried to move to protect Rhonda. Carol ran to grab Rhonda. She tried to pick her up and saw she was hurt. Ron looked at the young men, spit blood at the closest of them, and screamed, “Fuck you! I hope you all die for what you did to her! Fuck you!”

The noise of this was so loud, a group of people leaving a bar saw the commotion. One of them yelled “Hey! What’s going on there? Hey!” Another woman was dialing for help on her phone. The young men ran away as quickly as possible, disappearing down a dark side street and into the blackness of the night.

They were nearing the back door of the house, Carol carrying Rhonda, with Ron limping on his own. As they approached the door, two of the young men were behind them again, taunting them. He asked Ron if he could meet his boyfriend. Ron lunged at one of them and fell to the ground. They began to kick him. Carol screamed for help.

About the Author

Louis J. Ambrosio ran one of the most nurturing bi-coastal talent agencies in Los Angeles and New York. He started his career as a theatrical producer, running two major regional theaters for eight seasons. He taught at over 7 universities in America. Ambrosio also distinguished himself as an award-winning film producer and novelist over the course of his impressive career.

Author Links

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Still Sky by Skylar Nightingale Blitz

2023-06-20T12:52:00.000-05:00

Still Sky
Skylar Nightingale
Publication date: June 20th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Sky Hartman is enduring another conversation with her mom about her nonexistent love life when she slams into sexy business mogul Mateo Jacobson with a hot cup of coffee in her hand.

Despite their messy meeting, Sky is quickly swept up in his charismatic charm. Her best friend warns her of his notorious playboy ways, but after a few warm and cozy nights by the fire, Sky realizes she’s falling for him.

Until his womanizing ways leave her heart shattered.

When Mateo’s best friend, Cade, swoops in to console her, Sky questions his intentions. Although it makes her uneasy to learn his true feelings for her, she wonders if his sweet, romantic nature is what she needs.

But when Mateo is attacked and left for dead, Sky volunteers to help nurse him back to health. Faced, once more, with the selfless and tender ways of the suave casanova, will Sky risk heartbreak again by choosing Mateo? Or will Cade’s kindness and laughter provide her with the happily ever after she hopes for?

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

I was walking along a peaceful path in the woods when a branch snapped beneath my barefoot. Birds flew away, shrieking in the distance. For some strange reason, I was not wearing any shoes. I wiggled my toes and continued my peaceful journey. But I came to a screeching halt when I noticed splotches of blood on the ground. My heart raced, and I thought about turning back. But my feet continued to carry me forward. The splotches were getting larger and becoming more frequent as I walked. And then I saw it. I saw him lying there on the ground in a pool of blood. Mateo. He was lying motionless with his eyes closed. Squealing louder than I’ve ever squealed in my life, I sprinted over to him. “No. No. Teo,” I screamed, rocking his body back and forth with force. I lifted his shirt to see where the blood was coming from. But there was no indication of where it was escaping. His body was intact. I checked his neck for a pulse. Pulse, pulse, where the heck was his pulse? I checked his inner wrist. I couldn’t feel it. “Where is it?” I sobbed, clasping his shirt. “Teo. Please. Please. Come back to me.”

Author Bio:

Skylar Nightingale has always had a vast imagination, inventing characters that could either break your heart or have you standing in awe. When she isn't writing, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and listening to music. She grew up in Upstate New York. She now resides in a small town with her loving family, where her love of creating characters and stories envelop her thoughts, allowing her to continue in her writing journey.

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Forged In Love by Harper Dakota Release Blitz

2023-06-06T01:00:00.003-05:00

RELEASE DAY BLITZ

Author: Harper Dakota

Publisher: Highland Press, LLC

Cover Artist: Jay Aheer (Simply Defined Art)

Release Date: June 6, 2023

Genre: Paranormal M/M Romance

Tropes: Fated mates, insta-love

Themes: found family, meeting the in-laws

Heat Rating: 3.5 flames

Length: 65 877 words/219 pages

It is part of a series (Nightwood Clan), but it could be read as a standalone.

The book does not end on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Welcome to the Nightwood Clan, where family is found.

They finally found each other. Will a trip back home put that all in danger?

Blurb

At one hundred and fifty years old, Ian finally had everything he wanted.

Becoming a vampire when he was eighteen, he viewed it as his chance to find his own fated mate, to explore the world, to live and see new things. He’s never regretted his choice, finding friends among paranormals and humans. When he finally meets his mate, he’s amazed that Fate brought him such a perfect fit. Berkley’s handsome, caring, creative. Everything Ian could have wanted in a partner. They settle into their life together, but when a fun outing takes a dangerous turn, will Ian and Berkley be able to save themselves, or will bigotry and hatred win?

Excerpt

Ian tilted his head, his mate bond letting him know that Berkley was close. “Berkley’s almost home. Did ye want to meet him?”

“What kind of question is that?” his aunt scoffed. “Of course, I want to meet him!”

A minute later, he heard the library door open and felt a kiss on his head as Berkley came to sit beside him.

“Aunt Agnes and Uncle Robert, this is my mate Berkley. Berkley, Aggie and Robert,” Ian said.

“Hi, it’s really nice to meet you,” Berkley said, threading his fingers through Ian’s. He was a little nervous about meeting Ian’s family. “I wanted to say thank you as well, for turning Ian and giving him the chance to be himself. I never would have met him otherwise.”

“It’s lovely to meet you as well,” Aggie replied, smiling. “I’m so happy Ian found his mate.”

Berkley leaned against Ian, relaxing as his aunt and uncle spoke to them. They felt like his family too by the time they got off the call.

“They seem nice,” Berkley said, resting his head on Ian’s shoulder. “Did they yell at you like you thought they would?”

“Eh, not as bad as I thought it would be,” Ian admitted. “They loved ye,” he added, giving Berkley a kiss. “Ye know what I just thought of?”

“Hm?”

“Rolf is locked in his office working, Emma’s down at the clinic, Gawain never leaves his room, and the rest are still in town working. Want to head upstairs?” Ian asked, blinking flirtatiously.

“To help you get something out of your eye?” Berkley asked dryly.

“Shut up! I was going for flirty,” Ian laughed, shoving at Berkley’s shoulder before standing up.

“Don’t try that one again,” Berkley advised, keeping his face straight. He stood, grabbing his mate around the waist and pulling him close. “I would love to go upstairs with you, even if you don’t have an eyelash in your eye,” he said with a grin.

“Brat. Let’s go then. I want us naked on the bed, and me inside ye. Now,” Ian said, dragging Berkley out of the room.

They stumbled up the stairs, hands groping and stopping occasionally for kisses. Berkley reached out and fumbled for the doorknob, not willing to let go of Ian’s lips so that he could see. He finally got the door open and they fell inside, Ian kicking it shut behind them. As soon as he heard the click, Ian lifted Berkley, hands under his thighs, moving to hold him pinned against the door. Their cocks lined up perfectly and Ian rutted against him, the friction causing them both to moan. Berkley’s fingers tangled in Ian’s shorter red hair, pulling his head back so that he could lick his way down his neck, sucking a love mark near his collar bone.

Ian took a step away from the door, walking them over to the bed and letting Berkley slide down to sit on the edge of the mattress before stepping in closer between his legs.

About the Author

I have loved reading since I was a child. I also enjoy baking, photography, and seeing new things. My favorite books are romances with a happily ever-after. The world is a crazy place. Sometimes escaping into a great book is the only way I can truly relax. Happily-ever-after is my favorite type of book, so my stories will end with a HEA, even if the road is a little bumpy getting there. I am also a wife, a mother, and a photographer.

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Butterflies I Have Known by Kristoffer Gair Release Blitz

2023-06-06T01:00:00.001-05:00

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Butterflies I Have Known

Author and Publisher: Kristoffer Gair

Cover Artist: Kris Norris

Release Date: June 6, 2023

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance, Comedy

Tropes: Destined to be together

Themes: Trust, destiny

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 72 728 words/271 pages

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Buy Links

Even time cannot stop love.

Blurb

Even time cannot stop love.

University professor Matthew Richter hates complications. Planning his every day down to the second leaves no opportunity for a social life, which he doesn’t feel the need for anyway. Jian Wei helps run his family’s business. The only thing he enjoys more than tormenting his parents and siblings with endless pranks is plotting his next trick on a certain uptight customer.

Though so different, chance inexplicably draws them both to a World War II photography exhibit, and the aging photographer Milton Glass. Milton shares the story of two soldiers brutally cut down on the battlefield—which has haunted him for the better part of his life—and his suspicions that the soldiers shared a bond they never fully realized.

Now, in the twilight of his life, Milton can’t help but wonder if Matthew and Jian share a potential bond of their own. Could they possibly be the same men from so long ago, returned for a second chance at being together?

Milton can hope.

Excerpt

Jian opened a cardboard container filled with lemon tea and grabbed two six-packs. Mister Important Professor could afford to buy two, especially since he’d inconvenienced Jian in the first place. He then checked the incoming produce, and when he didn’t find any lychee, grabbed a third six-pack of the tea.

Jian’s father was nowhere to be seen when he returned. So much the better.

“Here you go, Mister Important Man.” Jian transferred the tea from his arms to the arms of the object of his discontent. “Thank you for waiting so patiently while your humble servant retrieved what he could of your most profound wishes. No fresh lychee either.” He started to head away, then stopped. “Or is it Mister Important Professor?”

The professor’s face turned beet red. “I never said I was important.”

Thinking of the professor as the professor felt…odd. The name suggested someone much older, like in their fifties or sixties. This one didn’t look much over Jian’s age. Maybe he was an old soul acting like an old man in a younger man’s body. What a waste of good genetics.

“True. My father says you’re important.” Jian knew he could be accused of being rude, but he switched to speaking Cantonese to avoid insulting the professor in a language the man understood. “You almost never talk when you come in here, and you give off the impression you don’t want to talk to anybody, like they’re beneath you. You might even be handsome if you learned to smile and changed everything about your personality. Right now, you’re just another uptight white man. But, we do appreciate your business.”

The professor stared at Jian for at least a solid ten seconds. While the man remained silent, he moved his lips, though almost imperceptivity. Jian swore the professor must be continuing the conversation in his head. Seriously? Who does something like that? Is he even human? The professor finally took a deep breath and exhaled. “Thank you for the items.”

Jian watched him start walking away. Much to his surprise, the professor paused and looked back over his shoulder.

“Oh, I don’t think I’m better than anyone else, and I’m not trying to be something I’m not,” the professor spoke in perfect Cantonese. “Also, I come here because I love the food. Finally, you don’t know me well enough to talk about my personality. That would be like me saying you come across as someone who enjoys annoying his father and the customers for no other reason than because you can, and you probably admire yourself in the mirror every morning, too.”

Jian felt his jaw drop, which he then shut with a loud snap. “What? Seriously? You’ve been shopping here since we opened two years ago and you couldn’t mention you speak Cantonese? You’ve understood everything we’ve been saying about…I mean to you?” He decided to change tactics and switch to Mandarin. “You sure talk when you want to.” See how Mr. Important Professor liked that!

“I only speak when I have something to say,” the professor replied back to him in Mandarin.

Jian felt his own face burn with the sudden rush of blood. “Don’t let my father hear you speak Mandarin! He’ll probably offer you my bedroom and I’ll wind up in the basement. Why are white people so weird?” He stormed off and caught a Caucasian woman glaring at him. “Not you. Him. He’s weird. You’re perfection. Have you tried the new Thai milk tea packets we just got in?”

“Jian!” His father’s voice bellowed throughout the store.

“Huh.” Jian looked up at the ceiling. Had his father installed cameras he didn’t know about? “He doesn’t even have to see me do something wrong anymore to know I did.”

About the Author

Kristoffer Gair grew up in Fraser, MI and is a graduate of Grand Valley State University. He is the author of 10 novels—some written under the pseudonum Kage Alan—been a part of 6 anthologies, and currently lives in a suburb of Detroit.

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11th Annual Mental Health Awareness Month Book Fundraiser benefiting the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

2023-05-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

📚 💚 Welcome the 11th Annual Mental Health Awareness Month Book Fundraiser benefiting the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

📚 💚 Here is how you can help raise money and awareness for mental health:

📗 Purchase a book from the amazing books listed below! We hope you will #1click4charity a number of these amazing books! The portion of sales is from ANY platform: digital, print, and audio.

📗If you have read one of the wonderful stories included, gift a copy to a friend who might love it!

📗 Share the image below or any of the custom photos the participating authors share on social media to raise awareness and to show your support.

📗 In this digital age, COMMENTS are currency so as you see these images PLEASE Comment

📗 Make a tax-deductible donation directly to the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Thank you in advance for your support as we work to bring mental illness out of the darkness.

📚 💚 Participating Books 📚 💚

Author	Book
AL Jackson	Promise Me Always
Alice Archer	Everyday History
Alison G Bailey	Present Perfect
Aly Stiles	Night Shifts Black (Hold Me, 1)
	Tracing Holland (Hold Me, 2)
	Viper (Hold Me, 3)
	Limelight (Hold Me, 4)
	An NSB Wedding (Hold Me, 5)
	Hold Me Boxset (Books 1-5)
	Rising West (Save Me, 1)
	Falling North (Save Me, 2)
	Breaking South (Save Me, 3)
	Crashing East (Save Me, 4)
	Guarding Shadows (Save Me, 5)
	Chasing Riptides (Save Me, 6)
	Young Love
	Haunted Melody: A Ghost Story
	Gifted (The Gifted Trilogy, Vol 1)
	Cursed (The Gifted Trilogy, Vol 2)
	Sören (The Gifted Trilogy, Vol 3)
Amy Lane	The Muscle
Carly Phillips	Destiny
Daniel Jon Kostalnick, MD	Trip, Stumble, and Rise
J.R. Gray	Love Equations Series
	The Friendship Equation
	The Animosity Equation
	The Forbidden Equation
Ginger Scott	Harper Boys Duet
	Wild Reckless
	Wicked Reckless
Harper Sloan	The Long Way Home
Helena Hunting	Little Lies
	Bitter Sweet Heart
Jennifer Probst	Twist of Fate Series
	Meant to B
	So It Goes
	Save the Best for Last
Laurelin Paige	Brutal Billionaire
Leylah Attar	53 Letters for My Lover
	The Paper Swan
	Mists of The Serengeti
	Moti on the Water
	The Night Blossoms
Lawrence Sprung, CFP®	Financial Planning Made Personal
Melanie Harlow	Tease
Melanie Moreland	Bentley (Vested Interest Book 1)
Natasha Madison	Made for You
Nicole Edwards	Primal Instincts Volume 1 - 9
P Rayne	Beautifully Scarred
Sawyer Bennett	Baden
Sierra Simone	Saint

⭐ Keith Milano Memorial Fund ⭐

140 Adams Ave, Suite B-12 Hauppauge, NY 11788

Watch to learn more about the Milano Sprung Family’s mission

Facebook

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Direct Donation

Fund Information: The Keith Milano Memorial Fund was established to help raise awareness about the devastating and deadly disease that is mental illness. Keith’s spirit and laughter are kept alive through our efforts to increase awareness about mental illness and to raise money for education and imperative research. Keith often struggled with society’s perception of mental illness. Our hope is that by having the strength to say that Keith was “Bipolar” we can strip away the stigma and help others to be more open about their disease. Watch to learn more about the Milano Sprung Family’s mission The Keith Milano Memorial Fund benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). At the end of the event, participating authors pay AFSP directly.

AFSP is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide. AFSP is a fully accredited 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization incorporated in the state of Delaware with primary offices in New York City. Federal tax ID # is 13-3393329.

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CORRUPT CUPID SERIES TOUR

2023-02-17T01:00:00.001-06:00

SERIES TOUR - CORRUPT CUPID

A multi-author collaboration

Ditch the hearts and flowers and step into the dark world of Corrupt Cupid.

Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not grab each and every deranged romantic tale as you slip into a place where darkness rules?

HEA included.

Overall Heat Rating for the series: 5 flames

BOOK DETAILS

BOOK 1

Book Title: Be Mine, Twisted Valentine

Author and Publisher: Gianni Holmes

Cover Artist: Charli Childs

Length: 58 000 words

Release Date: February 7, 2023

Genres: Contemporary M/M Romance, bisexual romance

Tropes: Age gap, dark romance, stalker romance, dubcon, size difference, cheating (not in the MM relationship, abduction

Themes: dark, abduction, torture

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

Fifteen years ago, I helped put my abductor behind bars.

And shunned the events of my traumatic past.

I’ve lived a content life with my wife.

Until the dreaded phone call.

Duncan Whittaker’s out on parole.

The first time I confront him, I intend to kill him.

But when we’re face to face, everything changes.

I’m still codependent on him.

Duncan’s the only man who’s ever made me feel desire.

He’s also the one who held me captive for almost a year.

Isolated me from others to make me grateful for his presence.

Deprived me of sensation to make me crave his unwanted touch.

Duncan Whittaker’s the sadist who broke me in the name of revenge.

Now his twisted obsession is about to ruin my life a second time.

And God help me, but I don’t know how to stop him.

I… may not want to stop him.

BOOK 2

Book Title: Be Mine, Vicious Valentine

Author and Publisher: April Jade

Cover Artist: Charli Childs

Length: 35 000 words

Release Date: February 9, 2023

Genre: contemporary, MM Romance,

Tropes: Age-gap, boarding school, hurt/comfort, dark romance, daddy kink, counselor/patient

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

They called him Vicious… I called him mine.

Sebastian St. James was more mystery than human…

His timid, feeble disposition contradicted the violent rumors that surrounded him. He wasn’t a murderer… but they were afraid of him, anyway.

I was fascinated by him and the cautious way he hid his face. His hands trembled when somebody stared too long, and he was wary of speaking.

Secrets burned beneath his skin, and it was my job to expose them all. Bit by bit, I was tasked with tearing him apart until there was nothing left but the truth.

The funny thing about the truth? There’s always two versions, and it was Sebastian’s version that made me bleed.

I no longer wanted to wreck him. I wanted to protect him.

They called him Vicious… but it was me they should’ve been afraid of.

BOOK 3

Book Title: Be Mine, Bloody Valentine

Author and Publisher: Skyler Snow

Release Date: February 16, 2023

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

He left me.

Alec Sanborne abandoned me when I was nothing but a scared teenager. He deserted me in a house with a monster. Now, he’s prancing around NYU as a professor, pretending he’s normal.

But my step-brother is far from normal. I know all of his dirty little secrets, the ones he tries so carefully to hide. I plan to expose him, to strip everything away that he loves until he has nothing but me.

One look and I can see the love and desire in his eyes. He says he wants nothing to do with me, that I can’t be in his class. But how could I abandon the man I’ve fantasized about all these years?

Alec Sanborne is mine. My bloody valentine.

BOOK 4

Book Title: Be Mine, Heartless Valentine

Author and Publisher: Ashlynn Mills

Release Date: February 21, 2023

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

What started off as nothing more than a product to them quickly became everything to me.Each Friday is the same. I drive a borrowed truck to a warehouse to pick up a delivery. The back of the truck stays locked at all times, and I never look inside no matter what. These are the rules I must follow without any mishaps.Nothing can go wrong. Until it does. The curiosity I usually fight against ends up winning when I'm stranded in the middle of nowhere. Something calls my attention to the back of the truck and once I cut the lock, there's no turning back. I can no longer lie to myself when I finally see what I've been delivering.One look at the frightened, beautiful man crawling out of the dark, and all the rules are shot to hell, and so is the promise of my family's safety. I can't walk away no matter how hard I try. The heartless man I've allowed myself to become in order to keep my loved ones safe now feels too much, and I can no longer finish what I started. Is Paxton really worth the risk? Can I keep him safe from the men who are after us. Most importantly, can I protect him from myself?It won't stop me from trying. They want him and will keep coming until they get what they're after.Him and everyone else keep forgetting one very important detail,the only person he belongs to,is me.

BOOK 5

Book Title: Be Mine, Cruel Valentines

Author and Publisher: Brea Alepoù

Release Date: February 23, 2023

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

Blurb

I’ve been tormented by three a-holes my whole life; Theon, Foxyn, and Leyton. From sticking me in lockers to giving me wedgies to stripping me naked and laughing while I try to run home these three have done it all.

I hated them and their cruel games.

I’m their senior, I shouldn’t let them push me around.

But at some point the pain turned to pleasure and I…liked it. Their wicked glances, their devilish grins, their endless teasing. A few well placed words and I’m a wet, squirming mess.

Now? I can’t get enough of them. I don’t want to share them with anyone else. They will be mine. My cruel Valentines.

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Manga Classics: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Stacy King, Crystal S. Chan, Kuma Chan Review

2023-02-16T21:47:00.000-06:00

Description

Siblings Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert were planning to adopt an orphaned boy to help out around their farm, Green Gables - instead, they got Anne Shirley. A plucky redheaded girl with a vibrant imagination, Anne turns first Green Gables and then the rest of Prince Edward Island on its ear.

Manga Classics® is proud to be the only authorized manga adaption of Anne of Green Gables by the Heirs of L.M. Montgomery, with a foreword by Kate McDonald Butler - granddaughter of the original author!

This volume presents a faithful recreation of this classic kids novel, from the Lake of Shining Waters to the Dryad's Bubble!

ISBN 9781947808188

Manga Classics: Anne of Green Gables by Stacy King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anne of Green Gables is the book that I remember getting me into reading as a kid. I loved it and went on to read the series. Later I watched the movies. I have recommended it to my daughter many times. I even watched the latest television adaptation on Netflix and couple of years ago. I don't think I'll ever not have a spot in my heart of this story. I've tried Manga Classics before and had a good experience so when I saw they had Anne of Green Gables, I had to read it. I think they did a wonderful job of turning this into a manga. They pretty much stuck with the storyline. It still made me emotional. The artwork really brought it life. I hope it opens this story up to a whole new group who wouldn't have read the story otherwise. I enjoyed the author's explanation of why certain areas were more prominent and what things meant to them personally. I also liked the artist sort of "walking through" the drawing of the characters. If you like Anne's books or movies, classics, comics or manga, you should definitely check out this book.

***copy given in exchange for an honest review***

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Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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Fall of the Pathfinder (Kessler Effect Book 1) by L. C. Lowe Book Blast

2023-02-16T01:00:00.001-06:00

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Fall of the Pathfinder (Kessler Effect Book 1)

Author and Publisher: L. C. Lowe

Cover Artist: Lance Buckley

Release Date: December 19, 2022

Genre: Science Fiction M/M Romance

Tropes: Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers

Themes: Finding yourself outside society’s labels

Heat Rating: 1 flame

Length: 75 448 words/284 pages

It is not a standalone story.

The book ends on a soft cliffhanger (ie. the story is resolved but larger plot-lines are left hanging)

Buy Links - Available in Kindle Unlimited

The company controls his life, but not his destiny.

Blurb

Working for ARC in the depths of space, 17-year-old Julian Sastre has struggled in the mines for two years to make the family name mean something again. He is a Pathfinder - the most dangerous and elite job in the mines, seeking out the richest growths of C6.

When he is blamed for an explosion that causes a collapse, he flees into the ruins of Old Easton, the city his father’s mistake destroyed a decade ago. The only ally Julian has there is Garret, a charming thief with secrets of his own.

ARC is determined to capture him, and the Wasters who live in what's left of the city are more than they appear. Will Julian decide to protect what he truly cares about and find his own path?

Get the first book in the Kessler Effect series, Fall of the Pathfinder, and find out today!

Fall of the Pathfinder is a slow burn queer science fiction romance.

Excerpt

“I don’t—” Another crack. The window made a sound like breaking stone. Kernels of clear plastic pelted Julian’s right side. His HUD flashed a bright red damage warning.

“Big guy?”

“I’m all right!” Julian said.

Something hit Julian’s back. Hard. He couldn’t swallow down the grunt of pain. Another warning flashed across his HUD. He ignored it and kept his eyes focused on the map. “Left again. One de— Half of the last turn.”

The driver’s eyebrows slashed downward, but the smile didn’t quite leave the man’s face.

They flew over the sand and the rover spent at least as much time in the air as it did on the ground, leaving Julian’s stomach behind each time it rose.

More debris clanged against them. The rear window cracked. It pelted his back. The debris overwhelmed the map with flashing red warning messages, but it didn’t matter. He was past the point of being helpful. If he’d let his teeth open, the only thing that would come out would be a scream.

The driver’s eyes never flicked away from the windshield, and his fingers never left the wheel. Not even to wipe away the blood rolling down his cheek.

Everything in Julian’s HUD lit up bright red, then it went dark. He looked down.

A rod of rusted metal was jutting through his side, just to the left of his belly button.

The pain hit him like it was waiting for him to notice it.

He ground his teeth together. The scream scorched his tongue. His arms shook. Sand streamed past his shoulders and into the rover. Julian pressed hard against the space of the window. It was the only way to keep himself from dropping forward into the seat with each bump. The pressure shoved the metal rod deeper, and spots of color danced across his vision.

The driver’s grip on the wheel was so tight that it made his knuckles white, but the guy was still smiling.

The roar of the storm was everywhere. It was filling up the world, and there was no room left for any other sounds.

The darkness was thick enough to feel. It pressed against Julian’s skin and sucked up the warmth. There was nothing but the dark, the scream, the pain, and the driver’s tight expression lit by the displays on the dashboard.

“Hold on!”

Laughter bubbled out of Julian. Holding on was the only thing he could do.

The rover hit a bump, and he flew. His head hit the roof. The world started spinning and flickering.

Julian bit the end of his tongue to keep the sounds locked inside. Another bump made him bite too hard, and his mouth filled with the metallic taste of his own blood.

They stopped.

His hand slipped, and he smacked the front window hard enough to make his vision flare red and then black. For a second, Julian was sure that he was going to pass out. He wanted to pass out.

Julian’s eyes cleared, and he got a look at the spot his rescuer chose to get them through the storm. It was a stretch of desert locked away inside a blacked-out Wall. The darkness of the storm had been bad, but the shadows that had pooled where they were now were something else. They were the thick, living kind that he’d only ever seen inside the mine.

The rover entered the space at an angle and the headlights caught on strange shapes and crumbled walls. It was impossible to see anything beyond the cones of light they cast in the heavy darkness, but Julian didn’t need to see to know where they were.

They were in Easton. The town his father destroyed.

About the Author

L. C. Lowe lives in Kansas City, where she spends most of her time trying to convince a very needy dog to let her pay attention to anything but him. She loves stories in all forms, be it books, movies, video games, or a car commercial that may or may not have made her tear up one (ok, maybe more than one) time.

Social Media Links

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Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

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Anti-Valentine: An MM Romance Anthology Release Blitz

2023-02-14T00:30:00.002-06:00

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Anti-Valentine: An MM Romance Anthology

Authors: Andi Jaxon, Ashley James, Ashlyn Drewek, Bailey Nicole, Baylin Crow, Becca Steele, Bethany Winters, C. Lymari, CE Ricci, Hayden Hall, Isabel Lucero, J.R. Gray, Jessie Walker, Misty Walker, Nicole Dykes, Riley Nash, T. Ashleigh

Publisher: Becca Steele

Cover Artist: TRC Designs

Release Date: February 14, 2023

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Enemies to lovers, dark romance, bully

Heat Rating: Various, 3-4 flames

Buy Links